Explore the Family Name Fairlie

The meaning of Fairlie

1. Scottish: habitational name from any of several places in Scotland so called (see Fairley). 2. Possibly also an Americanized form of South German Fährle, Värli: metonymic occupational name for a hog farmer, from a diminutive of Middle High German varch ‘pig, piglet’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Fairlie in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Fairlie has seen a moderate rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Fairlie was ranked 56,979th in terms of popularity, with a count of 335 bearers nationwide. By the year 2010, the rank had slightly increased to 56,195, showing a change rate of 1.38%. The count of individuals bearing the surname also increased to 364 within this period, representing an 8.66% growth. Despite these changes, the proportion of the Fairlie surname per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.12.

20002010Change
Rank#56,979#56,1951.38%
Count3353648.66%
Proportion per 100k0.120.120%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fairlie

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting shifts for the surname Fairlie between 2000 and 2010. The highest prevalence of the name was among the White population, though it saw a decrease from 94.63% to 88.74% over the decade. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in the proportion of Fairlie bearers who identified as belonging to two or more ethnicities, jumping from 1.49% to 3.3%. Hispanic representation also saw a considerable increase from 3.58% to 6.32%. It's worth noting that no individuals with the surname Fairlie identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native during both census years.

20002010Change
White94.63%88.74%-6.22%
Hispanic3.58%6.32%76.54%
Two or More Races1.49%3.3%121.48%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%